SPRINGDALE -- An eight-second ride seems like an eternity high atop an angry 1,500-pound horse doing its best to toss the cowboy as high and as far off its back as it can.
For veteran PRCA cowboy Tim O'Connell, it's the only job he ever wanted.
"I love my job," O'Connell said following the bareback bronc riding event Wednesday night in the 78th Rodeo of the Ozarks at Parsons Stadium. "I love everything about this. There's no other job where you can wake up with your kids and wife in the morning, come to Arkansas, then go to Minnesota or go across to another country on Sunday. This is the best job any person could ever have."
O'Connell, 31, grew up in rodeo. His father was a longtime pickup man on the pro circuit. It also a profession O'Connell has excelled at. He has three world championships and has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo nine times.
Last season O'Connell, who lives in Zwingle, Iowa, finished sixth at the NFR in Las Vegas, earning $234,232, including $104,669 at the NFR. Over the course of his career, O'Connell has earned more than $2.4 million.
On Wednesday, it was the youngsters who stole the show in bareback. Taylor Broussard, 29, and Cole Franks, 22, had matching 86.5 scores on their horses to share the first-day lead. O'Connell scored an 82 atop Dark Rose.
Franks, is a rising star in the PRCA, finishing second last season at the NFR, earning $263,378, including $146,952 at the NFR to finish fourth overall in the world standings. Broussard is a two-time NFR qualifier (2019, 2021) and was a co-champion at Springdale in 2019.
Franks drew Enchanted Ernest on Wednesday, and the bucking horse did its part to help Franks post a top score.
"I didn't really know a whole lot about the horse, but I knew a lot of people have had trouble with him in the past," said Franks, who lives in the Texas panhandle town of Clarendon. "So I went at it like he was going to try and kill me. I think that helped."
Franks has battled through a neck injury since last year and took some time off to try and recover. Wednesday's ride was just his fourth ride since coming back.
"It's good to be back and good to be getting on good stock, too," he said.
As the rodeo played out to a good opening-day crowd, Franks and O'Connell were busy tearing off large strips of adhesive tape, unbuckling their spurs and getting into more comfortable clothes as they prepared to race to the next rodeo in Minnesota.
O'Connell said he was traveling with Franks and Kade Sonnier, who scored an 86 on Wednesday to sit in third place.
"Them little turds did a lot better than me today," O'Connell joked. "I guess they'll have bragging rights for about another 24 hours."
In what might have been a historic night for bull riding at the Rodeo of the Ozark, the bullriders dominated the bulls.
Jeff Askey, the five-time NFR qualifier who finished sixth in the world standings in 2022, rode Resistol's Silver Bullet to an 89 to lead a jam-packed night of scoring atop the bulls. Askey is the first cowboy to go eight seconds on Silver Bullet. Askey had five wins this season coming into Wednesday night.
Seven of the 10 bull riders made the full eight-second ride. Trey Kimzey scored an 88 and Bryce Barriors was close behind with an 87.5.
The Rodeo of the Ozarks will continue tonight at Parsons Stadium.
Wednesdays results
78th Rodeo of the Ozarks
At Parsons Stadium, Springdale
Bareback
PL. NAMESCORE/TIME
1. Taylor Broussard86.5
1. Cole Franks86.5
3. Kade Sonnier86
Steer Wrestling
1. Riley Duvall4.3
2. Sam Goings5.8
3.Win Morgan Mardis6.2
Team Roping
1. Reed-McDaniel6.0
2. Tierney-Braden6.3
3. Yeahquo-Yeahquo7.8
Saddle Bronc
1. Dylan Cole Hancock84
2. Brandon Lansford81.5
3. Isaac Diaz79
Tie-Down Roping
1. Dawson Turner10.9
2. Justin Thigpen11.3
3. Wyatt Muggli12.3
Barrel Racing
1. Stephanie Fryar16.90
2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi17.12
3. Dina Allred17.28
Bull Riding
1. Jeff Askey89
2. Trey Kimzey88
3. Bryce Barrios87.5
Veteran PRCA cowboy Tim O’Connell prepares for the bareback riding event Wednesday during the Rodeo of the Ozarks at Parsons Stadium in Springdale. O’Connell has won three world championships and has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo nine times. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Dwayne Parsons carries Hannah Zimmerman, 7, after her Mutton Bustin’ ride Wednesday at the Rodeo of the Ozarks in Springdale. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)